Seasons
by Azure.Gauze
Summary: The story of the seasons told to Sirius by his brother.


**Warnings:** Implied Slash…not really, depends how messed up your mind is

**A/N:** An oneshot of four seasons, each season skips a couple of years. All of them are with Regulus and Sirius Black, my favourite characters

* * *

"Spring," The young boy declared, throwing his hands up into the air as if to catch the atmosphere, "is my favourite season of the year!"

He started running after his brother, a great laugh echoing through the gardens of the grand manor. The spring rain had caused small buds on the trees to appear overnight.

Two boys played in the mud, amidst the trees, jumping over puddles.

"Oh?" The older boy stopped in his run through the mud, "Why?" As he waited for his brother to catch up, he knelt down to examine some mushrooms growing near a tree.

"Because everything's new and exciting!" Regulus declared. He had caught up to the older boy and knelt down, grey eyes flashing in delight at the red mushrooms.

"They're new," The older brother said, reaching up to mess up his little brother's hair. He gave the younger boy a crooked smile.

"Well, I love spring because we get to go out and explore together." Said boy's pale face was flushed slightly.

"Me too, Reggie, me too."

As they stood in companionable in silence, a voice called out to them loudly, seemingly coming from the trees themselves, "Dinner!" Both boys were startled out of their reverie as they grinned at each other, stomachs growling in unison.

"Come on, Reg, I'll race you!" The older boy took off, splashing mud up on Regulus's trousers.

Regulus smiled slightly, "Hey, wait up, Siri!" He followed the older boy through the garden, taking care to jump over the puddles as he ran after his brother.

-

"Summer," Regulus shouted out towards the ocean, gazing out at the horizon on the small cliff, "is the very best time of the year!" The wind blew at his hair and robes, causing them to float around him. It was a dark night, the moon a waning crescent in the sky. The ocean splashed the cliffs, drowning out the voices of the two boys.

Sirius laughed, gazing out at the distance. He threw his out arms and breathed in the salty scent of the English Channel. His hair formed a black halo around him, blowing out towards the ocean. "How is that, Reggie?"

"Because you're back and we get to come here and be together again!" The younger boy declared.

The older of the two reached out to run a hand through his younger brother's hair. "We'll always be together!"

"I know, Siri." A loud wave drowned out Regulus's whisper and the little boy prayed to the stars that it would be true.

Sirius didn't seem to notice. He took hold of Regulus's hand and ran towards the edge of the cliff with his brother. Regulus followed wordlessly, feeling the exhilarating mist from the ocean. Both of them were laughing carelessly. Their hands were linked tightly together. When they reached the edge of the cliff, neither of them slowed down nor said a word. They jumped.

-

"Autumn," Regulus sighed, walking through the crunching leaves of Hogsmeade, "is the worst part of the year." He looked down at the black dog that had followed him. It barked in agreement.

"Plants start dying, leaving, animals go to sleep, some don't survive." He whispered as a part of the explanation for the dog. He didn't know why he was talking to it.

"My brother won't talk to me anymore." He said and petted the dog gently on the head, "Not since he ran away."

The dog had followed him when he arrived in Hogsmeade, begging for treats from Honeydukes which Regulus was only too happy to purchase for it. He didn't care what it was, but it was nice to have a companion on such a weekend.

"I don't blame him." Regulus said sadly, making his way towards the Hog's Head. "But he could have answered my letters." Regulus reached up to rub the tears out of his eyes.

Suddenly, the dog jumped up and pushed Regulus to the ground so that he was at the same eye level as the dog. It tugged gently on his emerald and silver scarf and nuzzled his neck. It seemed almost human, comforting and sad.

"You know," The black haired prefect said with a sad smile and petted the dog, "You remind me of someone I love."

-

"Winter," The black haired man's hand was shaking slightly as he wrote the words down, "is my least favourite season of the year." A pained look etched on the man's face as tears dripped down his nose onto the parchment. He gazed outside at the bright Christmas lights and heard the distant melody of the carollers. A locket was gripped so tightly in his hand that it hurt.

"Master Regulus?" The house elf said uncertainly, gazing at the locket.

Regulus opened the locket and took out the picture of two laughing boys, happily opening Christmas presents beside a glittering tree. He tucked the picture away in his pocket and replaced it with a note of his own. His hands shook as he set down his quill, leaving the letter unfinished.

"Everything is cold and dark." He murmured to himself, "Things die in winter."

But somewhere, in the far corners of his mind, he heard the words in a haunting voice that was so familiar, "_But the ones that survive will push on._"

He smiled wryly and stood up, the unfinished letter still on his desk. The elf stepped forwards, head bowed down to his master. Regulus whispered into the thin air, "Keep fighting."

He disapparated with the elf.


End file.
